Yet another estate agents

[Odyssey]

During my normal strolls up and down Lordship Lane I couldn't help but notice to my great disappointment that another estate agents has popped up on the strip. I hear rumours that there are 3 more to come. Surely there must be a limit as to how many useless businesses a high street can support?

[ruffers]

I imagine the limit is at the point where they stop making money, at which point they become useless.

[Mick Mac]

Estate agents are three a penney on LL.

[ruffers]

I'm not sure what happens with too many estate agents, but I do know what happens with shoe shops.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Odyssey, have you not walked down Rye Lane?

[Odyssey]

Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

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> Odyssey, have you not walked down Rye Lane?

A good point. Maybe they should be relocated to Rye Lane where there is a distinct lack of estate agents. Perhaps the extra one or two shoe shop on Lordship Lane wouldn't be a bad thing either.

[dubluke]

are you talking about truepenny's? word is that KFH are also planning on opening a LL branch

[dubluke]

Odyssey Wrote:

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> Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Odyssey, have you not walked down Rye Lane?

>

> A good point. Maybe they should be relocated to

> Rye Lane where there is a distinct lack of estate

> agents.

Try the old kent road, there's a fantastic looking one on there with barred windows and a sign of the door that says "lettings, property managemant and SEALS"

evidently this young property entrepeneurs have seen the profit to be made in the marine wildlife trading business :P

[KalamityKel]

The other weekend I was in a town where I counted at least 14 estate agents, each side by side, on both sides of the road in a space spanning from say the curry cabin down to somerfield/co-op (minus the gaps for roads).

Now THAT's impressive! :P

[karter]

kk, you counted 14 estate agents? you must have been bored.

[KalamityKel]

curiousity my dear

[Narnia]

ruffers Wrote:

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> I'm not sure what happens with too many estate

> agents, but I do know what happens with shoe

> shops.

Please advise if you see any shoe shops opening as this is very worrying.

[MrBen]

If you are renting a property out or looking to rent why not use this forum? - I've used it for 3 years, have found some really good tenants and even found a great house to rent myself - all without agent involvement.

With technology, social networking and direct selling, agents pushing the same old business model days are numbered.

Speaking of which - an EDF donation is long overdue....

[katie1997]

Some people use estate agencies for rental management services as well as for finding tenants. Particularly useful if you're not living in the same area as the property you are renting out. Costs more but I imagine can provide peace of mind if you have a good, trustworthy agent.

When the high street is full of charity shops, thats a sure sign of recession (I think as they aren't eligible for full rental costs?)

Bring on the shoe shops I say.

[KalamityKel]

*shudders*

[Odyssey]

dubluke Wrote:

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> are you talking about truepenny's?

Yes this is them, the one's that calls themselves "Property Consultants". Maybe they will all change their names from Estate Agents to Property Consultants and charge us more for the pleasure.

I think that we need some type of quota system when it come to Estate Agents on high streets. There must be some mathematical formula for this. Maybe HAL9000 the cyber-computer may have a suitable formula for this in his Random Access Memory?

[dubluke]

I think they call themselves "property consultants" as they offer services other than just letting and selling, not sure exactly what they are though! As some have said, estate agents have their pros and cons and although I am one myself I am all for finding tenants through gumtree etc, but even so, some people don't have the time to go through that hassle themself or simply don't want to and that is when an estate agent provides a useful service. What does concern me in that industry are the amount of crooked agents out there who will happily lie and cheat people to make sales, it's bang out of order and not only does it make people angry and disappointed, it also gives a bad name to agents such as myself who see honesty and decency as very important qualities

[genwilliams]

Dubluke, I agree with your post completely.

I think there are few things more despicable than a crooked estate agent. When dealing with people's homes and such a sizeable chunk of their money, a little integrity is called for.

[cate]

Dubluke, according to one of your posts you were 5 in the mid nineties. That makes you 19 or 20 now. How much experience could you have possibly had as an estate agent?

[dubluke]

cate Wrote:

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> Dubluke, according to one of your posts you were 5

> in the mid nineties. That makes you 19 or 20 now.

> How much experience could you have possibly had

> as an estate agent?

I have been working in estate agents for 2 years

[dubluke]

by the way - why do you ask?

[HAL9000]

You started just before the financial crisis kicked off - talk about timing!

[dubluke]

HAL9000 Wrote:

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> You started just before the financial crisis

> kicked off - talk about timing!

haha yeah for real! the rental market was good during that time though!

[KalamityKel]

I would have thought it being an excellent opportunity to actually learn the market!

[Britany]

What is ironic is that the more estate agents open the more time it takes (having to efficiently go see them all and register and chase them) and the more difficult it is to find a property to buy or rent as many look after the same properties. When I was looking for a flat to rent last year I once visited a property with other people who were with different estate agents... Not sure it benefits to anyone really, just means more time wasted than anything else.